97 Things Every Project Manager Should Know

Chapter 89. Increase Communication: Hold Frequent, Instant Meetings

Richard Sheridan

SOFTWARE PROJECT MANAGERS often fall into the deadly trap of regularly scheduling their teams for painful meetings that have the unfortunate, unintended effect of actually decreasing communications. One of the all-time dreaded meetings is the classic Monday morning status meeting. As if Mondays weren't bad enough already!

If you aren't convinced that most meetings should be killed, try this experiment. As the software project manager, don't show up. Ask one of your trusted colleagues about the meeting you skipped. Did they hold it without you?

If the meeting only happens when the boss or project manager shows up, kill it. Your team is telling you they don't get value out of it. Never hold meetings where only one person gets value.

At my organization, we do everything we can to eliminate unproductive meetings and replace them with simpler communication paths among team members. For example, we have the team work all day, every day, in one big open room with no walls, offices, cubes, or doors. Thus, when I need an answer from someone, I can simply say, "Hey, James." In less than 30 seconds, James and I have exchanged the necessary information and can get back to work without actually moving (or sending emails back and forth).

Imagine an all-company meeting with 60 people that is as easy to set up as shouting ...